The Kent & East Sussex Railway has hosted a variety of heritage rolling stock since the line was closed by British Railways in 1961.

Current stock

Steam locomotives

Number (& Name) Class Status Notes Image No. 3 Bodiam (originally LBSCR No. 70 Poplar)(Currently Carrying 70) LB&SCR A1 Class In service - Operational as of June 2022 Built as LBSC No. 70 Poplar and entered into service on 4 December 1872. Sold to Rother Valley Railway for £650 in May 1901 having covered in service. Withdrawn in 1931 but restored to service in 1933 using parts from No. 5 Rolvenden. New A1X boiler fitted in 1943. Renumbered 32670 in 1948 when the K&ESR was absorbed into British Railways. Worked on the Hayling Island Branch Line and withdrawn in November 1963. Purchased privately, arrived back on the KESR on 10 April 1964. Withdrawn in January 2017 for overhaul which was undertaken at the North Norfolk Railway. Returned to the KESR in May 2022 for final finishing and testing, before re-entering service in June 2022. No. 8 Knowle (original LBSCR No. 78)(Currently 2678) LB&SCR A1 Class In service – Operational as of November 2020 Built in 1880 as LBSCR No. 78, it first worked on the London suburban lines before moving to the Hayling Island branch. Renumbered 678 in 1907 and converted to push-pull motor train working. Fitted with new A1X boiler in 1911. Stored upon becoming part of the Southern Railway in 1923, it was sold to the Isle of Wight Railway in 1929 and renumbered and renamed W4 (later W14) Bembridge. Returned to the SR in 1936 and renumbered 2678. Hired by the KESR in 1940 and remaining there until 1958. Renumbered 32678 by British Railways, it hauled the final passenger train on the KESR in 1954 with classmate No. 32655 Stepney. It returned to Hayling Island in 1958 and remained there until 1963, when it moved to Brighton ending its working career in 1964 as a coal stage pilot. In service, it covered 1,411,436 miles. It was sold to Billy Butlin and displayed at his Butlin's Minehead until moved to the West Somerset Railway. In 1998, it returned to the KESR and returned to service in May 1999. Returned to service in November 2020, fitted with its extended Isle of Wight bunker and out-shopped in SR Black. No. 11 (originally SECR No. 753) SECR P Class Under major overhaul Built by the SECR in 1908, one of the first two of a class of eight locomotives. Originally numbered 753. Design is similar to the Terriers. Into service in February 1909. In 1915, it was requisitioned for military service with the Railway Operating Division, Royal Engineers. Sent to Boulogne. Returned in 1916 having sustained damage in a collision while at work there. Renumbered 556 by the Southern Railway in 1925. Employed in the construction of the Wimbledon and Sutton Railway in 1928. Hired to K&ESR in 1936 and again in 1938, and again in 1947. Renumbered 31556 by British Railways. Withdrawn from service in April 1961, the longest serving P Class locomotive. Sold to James Hodson & Sons, Robertsbridge and renamed Pride of Sussex. Rail traffic to the mill ceased on 1 January 1970 and the locomotive was sold to the KESR. Withdrawn from service in 2011 in need of a major overhaul. No. 12 Marcia Peckett 1287 Class 0-4-0T In service - Operational as of March 2022Built in 1923 as works number 1631/1923 for Hardman & Holden Ltd, Salford. Donated to K&ESR upon withdrawal in 1962. Worked until withdrawn in the autumn of 1982. Restoration took 28 years. Withdrawn after issues were discovered with the inner firebox. Repairs were completed in March 2022, and the engine is now running in. Put up for auction in April 2024, with bids starting at £30,000. The engine was purchased in June 2024, by a K&ESR volunteer, Andy Hardy, and returned to the railway. No. 14 Charwelton Manning Wardle Modified Class 0 0-6-0ST Under overhaul Works number 1955/1917. Built for Park Gate Iron & Steel Co Ltd, Charwelton, Northamptonshire. Transferred to Sproxton Quarry in 1942 and worked there until closure of the railway in 1963 and sold out of service. Arrived on the K&ESR in 1963 and used occasionally on works trains until 1976, when it left the railway for restoration. Returned to service on the K&ESR in May 1982 and withdrawn in May 1983 for repairs to its axle boxes. Returned to traffic in 1991 and withdrawn in 2001. Restoration work was completed in August 2009 but was withdrawn in 2017 following a serious fault with the boiler. No. 19 Norwegian (originally No. 376)(Currently No. 376) NSB 21c Awaiting overhaul Built by Nydqvist & Holm AB, Trollhättan, Sweden as works number 1163/1919. One of eight locomotives of Class 21c. Used on the Kongsvinger Line initially, later ending its days working a snowplough on the Nordland Line. Arrived on the K&ESR in 1971. Returned to service in 2013 after a major overhaul and operated until 2020, when it was withdrawn requiring another overhaul. Now numbered 376. No. 21 Wainwright (Currently No. 300 Frank S. Ross.) S100 Awaiting overhaul Built for the United States Army Corps of Engineers as No. 1960, and sent to the UK under Lend-Lease. Stored at Newbury Racecourse. One of fourteen purchased by the Southern Railway and sent to the Melbourne Military Railway for running in. Entered service with the Southern Railway in April 1947 as USA Class number 70. Renumbered 30070 by British Railways. Worked at Southampton Docks. Withdrawn, and entered Departmental service as DS238 at Ashford Wagon Works. Withdrawn in June 1967 and sold to Woodham Brothers, Barry, Wales in March 1968. Developed a hot box en route and dumped at Tonbridge. Sold to K&ESR in August 1968 and delivered the next month. It was restored to working order in 1994, outshopped in BR Green livery as No. DS238 and was then painted in WD Grey as No. WD1960 towards the end of its boiler ticket. It was withdrawn from service in 2004. Returned to service in December 2017 following overhaul and outshopped in Longmoor Military Railway Lined Blue as No. 300 Frank S. Ross. Withdrawn in early 2022 pending serious boiler repairs. No. 22 Maunsell S100 Undergoing major overhaul Built for the United States Army Corps of Engineers as No 1968, and sent to the UK under Lend-Lease. Stored at Newbury Racecourse. One of fourteen purchased by the Southern Railway and sent to the Melbourne Military Railway for running in. Entered service with the Southern Railway in November 1947 as USA Class number 65. Renumbered 30065 by British Railways. Worked at Southampton Docks. Withdrawn, and entered Departmental service as DS237 at Ashford Wagon Works. Withdrawn in April 1967 and sold to Woodham Brothers, Barry, Wales in March 1968. Developed a hot box en route and dumped at Tonbridge. Sold to K&ESR in August 1968 and delivered the next month. When restored to service in 1974 it was the first large locomotive to enter service on the railway in preservation. Overhauls have been completed in 1981, 1997 and 2008 (which saw the fitting of a new firebox) and the locomotive was withdrawn in January 2017 for another ten-yearly overhaul. No. 23 Holman F. Stephens Austerity In storage awaiting major overhaul One of a batch of fourteen Bucket Class locomotives built in 1952/53 as war reserve stock. Works number 3791/1952. Originally WD 191, later WD 91. Stored initially on the Longmoor Military Railway and entered service at Bicester Military Railway where it carried the name Black Knight. Into store in 1962 at Long Marston, then to Shoeburyness in December 1967. Withdrawn from service in August 1968 having run for . Sold out of Army service, arrived on K&ESR in February 1972. No. 25 Northiam Austerity In service - Operational as of April 2018 One of a batch of fourteen Bucket Class locomotives built in 1952–53 s war reserve stock. Originally WD 197, later WD 97. Was at Longmoor Military Railway in 1957, and withdrawn from Bicester Military Railway in 1977, where it had carried the name Sapper. Arrived on K&ESR in September 1977. Renamed Northiam in April 1982, renaming ceremony performed by Andrew Gardner. Returned to service in April 2018 following a major overhaul. No. 30 (originally GWR No. 1638) Currently 1638 GWR 1600 Class Under repair off site Built in 1951. An example of a small GWR pannier tank, although actually built by British Railways. Given the number 1638, it was working in Wales when it was withdrawn in August 1966. On 25 November 1967, it moved to to enter preservation on the Dart Valley Railway. Returned to service in 2016 after a ten-yearly overhaul, wearing BR Black livery. Went to Leaky Finders in early 2022 for repairs to the axle boxes and motion. No. 32 (originally GWR No. 6619) GWR 5600 Class In storage awaiting overhaul Built in 1928 at Swindon Works. It served in Wales until it was withdrawn in 1963. It was sent to Woodham Brothers scrapyard and was rescued in 1974. It was saved because of the relatively good condition of the boiler and not many inside parts had been removed. It returned to service in 1984. It spent most of its preserved life on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway before being moved to the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway in summer 2011, it remained on the line until it was sold to the KESR in 2012. An initial pre-overhaul assessment has been carried out, and components such as tanks have been found to be life expired. No KESR number currently (originally GWR No. 5668) GWR 5600 Class Awaiting major restoration Built in 1926 at Swindon Works. It worked in Wales until its withdrawal in September 1964. It was sent to Woodham Brothers scrapyard in November that year, and it was rescued in August 1987 and moved to the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway. It was transferred in 2013 to the owners of No. 4253 as part of a deal that saw spares for 4253 bought from the previous owner, and it arrived on the railway in August.In ex-Barry scrapyard condition. The boiler has already been professionally stripped of asbestos to prepare for a boiler lift. It is currently stored at Wittersham Road station. Construction of components such as side tanks has started, while other components have been preserved. No KESR number currently (originally GWR No. 4253) GWR 4200 Class Under major restoration Built in 1917 at Swindon Works. Withdrawn in April 1963 and sent to Woodham Brothers scrapyard at Barry, Glamorgan in August 1963. To Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway in August 1987.

Diesel locomotives

Number (& Name) Class Status Notes Image No. 40 (formally No. 16) British Thompson Houston Company Bo-Bo Under repair No 40, formerly No 16 Diesel Electric locomotive. Surviving member of a class of three built in 1931 by BTH for service at Ford Dagenham in Essex. Built to the London, Midland and Scottish Railway loading gauge as their duties involved crossing the ex-London, Tilbury and Southend Railway main line. Was numbered 1 at Ford. Withdrawn on 5 July 1966 and arrived at Tenterden on 7 July 1966. Hired to James Hodson & Sons, Robertsbridge Flour Mills in 1967. Hauled the last train from Robertsbridge to Bodiam in February 1972 prior to the track being lifted on that section. No. 41 Ruston & Hornsby 0-4-0DE In service as Rolvenden Yard Pilot Built as works number 423661/1958 for Rowntree Mackintosh, York where it carried the number 1. Donated to the K&ESR in 1987. Repainted into original Rowntree's Green in 2018. Number 41 in the K&ESR stocklist. No. D.3174 / BR TOPS No. 08 108 / KESR No. 44 Dover Castle | British Rail Class 08 | Stored. Overhaul not progressing at present. | Ex British Railways 13174, D3174 and 08 108. Built at Derby Works in 1955. Withdrawn in 1984 and sold to Dower Wood Mill, Newmarket. Purchased for preservation in 1991 and moved to the East Kent Railway where it worked the first train when the preserved line reopened. To the K&ESR in November 1992. Number 44 Dover Castle in the K&ESR stock list.

| No. D.2023 | British Rail Class 03 |In service as the Tenterden Yard Pilot.